Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing最新文献

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine aromatherapy interventions for prenatal and postnatal women, and to determine the effectiveness of these interventions on fatigue.

Methods: Six national and international databases were reviewed to retrieve and collect studies published up to September 7, 2021, describing randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials of aromatherapy interventions for prenatal and postnatal women's fatigue. Of the 323 articles initially identified, 64 duplicates were excluded and 259 were screened. After further excluding 216 articles not related to PICO framework, 10 were selected for review. Two reviewers independently selected studies and conducted data extraction and quality appraisal using Cochran's Risk of Bias and Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-randomized Studies.

Results: The quality of the 10 selected studies was overall satisfactory. A meta-analysis of three studies showed that aromatherapy with lavender oil? produced a 0.75-point reduction in postnatal mothers' fatigue when compared to control groups. Sleep quality was also analyzed as a secondary outcome of fatigue. A meta-analysis of four studies using lavender and/or orange peel oil found that aromatherapy produced a 0.98-point improvement in postnatal mothers' quality of sleep. Although a meta-analysis could not be conducted to synthesize the findings for fatigue in pregnant women, inhalation and massage therapy using lavender oil showed positive effects on prenatal fatigue and sleep quality.

Conclusion: Aromatherapy using lavender oil and orange peel oil is effective in improving prenatal and postnatal fatigue and sleep quality.

Purpose: This study investigated whether parenting stress, work-family conflict, resilience affect retention intent in Korean nurses returning to work after parental leave.

Methods: The participants in this study were 111 nurses recruited from 10 hospitals in Korea, who were working after formal parental leave from their hospitals. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, the Mann-Whitney U-test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression.

Results: Retention intention (33.80±7.78), parenting stress (101.70±17.57), and resilience (85.02±12.75) were at greater than moderate levels and a midpoint level of work-family conflict (29.63±7.00) was noted in this sample of mostly women nurses in their 30s. The factors affecting retention intent were parental leave duration, the number of times that participants had taken parental leave, health condition, work-family conflict, and resilience. The total explanatory power of these variables was 36.7%. Retention intent had a negative correlation with parenting stress and work-family conflict. Conversely, retention intent was positively correlated with resilience.

Conclusion: This study supports the need for flexible adjustment of returning nurses' working hours and family-friendly policies to promote balance between work and family. It is also necessary to develop and apply measures that boost resilience and support health improvement for nurses returning to work.As nurses are often assigned to new areas of work upon return, training programs to aid their adjustment may also be helpful.

Purpose: Although the term "transition to motherhood" is commonly used in research, the concept is not clear. This study, hence, was conducted to clarify the concept of "transition to motherhood."

Methods: The concept analysis framework developed by Walker and Avant is used to analyze the concept of transition to motherhood.

Results: Transition to motherhood is defined as the physical, psychological, social, and relational (mother-baby relationship/interpersonal relationship) changes that happen to a woman after pregnancy and delivery of a baby. The attributes of the transition to motherhood include: 1) adapting to physical changes after pregnancy and childbirth; 2) experiencing various psychological changes; 3) changing of her social perception from being a woman to someone's mother; and 4) forming and developing a relationship with the newborn, adjusting priorities, and redefining the relationship between family and others. Meeting the newborn is regarded as an antecedent of the transition to motherhood. Redefining identity and physical image, ensuring mother's well-being, maternal attachment, and confidence in the maternal role are regarded as consequences of the transition to motherhood. The concept was clarified by the presentation of model, borderline, and contrary cases.

Conclusion: The significance of this study lies in the clarification of the concept of transition to motherhood and defining its attributes. It is recommended that tools be developed to measure transition to motherhood based on the results of this study. Furthermore, nurses and midwives can use study findings to better understand the concept of transition to motherhood in providing care and support to mothers who experience it.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of health-promoting behaviors (HPB), marital intimacy, and parenting stress on the quality of life (QoL) of low-income women with young children in Korea, an underserved group.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey employed a descriptive correlational design. Using convenience sampling, 123 low-income women with children younger than 6 years were recruited from 14 health and community centers in Jeonju, Korea, from June 2020 to May 2021. Participants completed a questionnaire on QoL, HPB, marital intimacy, and parenting stress. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical regression analysis.

Results: Participants, who were on average 37.41±3.65 years old and had 1 to 2 children (n=98, 79.7%), reported a mid-level (3.14 out of 1-5) of QoL. Marital intimacy (β=.38, p<.001) was the most influential factor on the QoL of low-income women with young children. In descending order, HPB (β=.35, p<.001) and non-employment status (β=-.21, p=.003) had a significant influence on QoL (F=15.64, p<.001), and the overall explanatory power was 49.0%.

Conclusion: Considering the mid-level QoL of low-income women with young children, programs aimed at improving the QoL of low-income women need to promote marital intimacy and maintain HPB, while considering their employment status. Strategies that include couple counseling, health care to encourage healthy lifestyles, and reemployment education are needed.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the level of postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and postpartum depression (PPD) in Korean mothers with healthy babies and to explore the factors related to postpartum PTSD.

Methods: This study used a longitudinal survey design to explore the levels and association of PPD and PTSD. Two hundred women were recruited during pregnancy and the data were collected via online survey from 166 mothers (84% retained) who gave birth to healthy babies, at two postpartum periods: Fear of childbirth was assessed at the 1st week; and spousal support, PPD, and postpartum PTSD were surveyed at the 4th week postpartum. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Chi square test, and multiple regression were done.

Results: The mean age of mothers was 33.12 (±3.97) years old. Postpartum PTSD was low (8.95±6.49) with 1.8% (n=3) at risk (≥19). PPD was also low (6.68±5.28) and 30.1% (n=50) were identified at risk (≥10). The comorbid rate of PPD with PTSD was 6%. Mothers who did not have a planned pregnancy had higher scores of PPD (t=-2.78, p=.008), whereas spousal support and PPD had negative relationship (r=-.21, p=.006). The overall explanatory power for postpartum PTSD was 55.2%, of which PPD was the only significant variable (β=.76, t=13.76, p<.001).

Conclusion: While only 1.8% was at risk of postpartum PTSD at 4 weeks postpartum, PPD prevalence was 30.1% and PPD was the only influential factor of postpartum PTSD. Assessment and counseling of PPD are required as well as screening for postpartum PTSD. More research is also needed on postpartum PTSD in Korean women.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between maternal knowledge and social support on pregnancy stress among pregnant women in Korea.

Methods: The participants in this study were 148 pregnant women in Korea, recruited from online communities on pregnancy and/or childbirth, from June 2019 to April 2020. The collected data were analyzed using the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression.

Results: Participants were at average 18.25±8.28 weeks gestation, 56% were in the second trimester, 31% had one or more health issues in the current pregnancy (e.g., hyperemesis gravidarum), and 76% were first-time mothers. Participants had moderate levels of pregnancy stress (mean, 23.09±7.11 points out of 48) and maternal knowledge (mean, 14.42±4.67 points out of 21), whereas social support was somewhat high (mean 45.88±7.81 points out of 60). Pregnancy stress was weakly negatively correlated with social support (r=-.37, p<.001). Main source of pregnancy information (β=-.21, p=.011), marital satisfaction (β=-.18, p=.036), and social support (β=-.19, p=.038) were identified as significant factors affecting pregnancy stress, and these variables had an explanatory power of 22.7% for pregnancy stress.

Conclusion: Based on these findings, nurses should assess pregnancy-related stress during pregnancy and consider main source of pregnancy information and marital satisfaction when providing education or counseling. Moreover, strategies to reduce pregnancy stress through social support are needed to improve the quality of life for pregnant women.

Purpose: Various individual and social factors influence depression in pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and health status on depression of pregnant women in Korea.

Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey conducted from August to October 2019. A structural questionnaire with Patient Health Quetsionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), health behavior, health status, and psychological characteristics was used. The data of 1,096 pregnant women between the ages of 19 and 55 years were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-test and chi-square tests, and multiple regression.

Results: The mean score of prenatal depression as measured by the PHQ-9 during pregnancy was 2.35 points out of 0 to 27 points. Low income (B=0.69, p<.001), low-education level (B=0.70, p<.001), skipping breakfast (B=0.34, p=.001), less than 8 hours of sleeping (B=0.26, p=.009), binge drinking during pregnancy (B=0.46, p=.001), and stress (B=1.89, p<.001) were significantly associated with increased depression scores. In contrast, depression scores significantly decreased as subjective health status (B=-0.59, p<.001) and subjective oral health status (B=-.17, p=.003) increased.

Conclusion: Findings support the need for healthcare policies and clinical screening to alleviate prenatal depression, especially for pregnant women with low socioeconomic status, poor health behavior, poor health status, and high stress.

[This corrects the article on p. 326 in vol. 27.].